


Cupcakes

by lar_laughs



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: 5_prompts, Community: scifiland, F/M, M/M, valentines day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-03
Updated: 2011-04-03
Packaged: 2017-10-17 12:05:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/176683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lar_laughs/pseuds/lar_laughs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Valentine's Day comes to Atlantis</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cupcakes

Rodney let his tray drop onto the table with a clang. "Do they have to keep reminding us that it's almost Valentine's Day? I thought, for once, that we could just ignore the fact that major card companies need to give their employees a reason for existing. Valentine's Day is a completely made up holiday. Why do they need to torment us?"

"Torment?" John narrowed his eyes as he regarded Rodney, trying to figure out what neurosis this conversation stemmed from. "Why do you think they're tormenting us?"

Ronon began to laugh, not letting either Rodney's look of outrage or John's glare stop him from finding the humor in the situation. "Doesn't he think everyone is tormenting him?"

"I do not think... well, okay. I guess I do think that most people are out to get me and I would be right a good portion of the time. At least eighty-eight percent. Possibly even ninety percent of the time. Look at how often they serve fruit salad. It's like they enjoy tormenting me with the citrus-based dressing they use."

"Rodney, I do not think that is meant as a torment." As always, Teyla tried to be the voice of reason. It was usually a losing battle but she always had to try. "They merely make fruit salad because it is a good way of using fruit that might go bad otherwise. They always make sure to tell you when they use citrus so you can not use that as an example of this supposed torment. Perhaps you should tell us what you think this new attack is so we can help you?"

"Help? I don't think ther-" But Ronon didn't continue with that thought as Teyla's foot made contact with his shin. Instead, he glared down at his own well-stocked tray.

"Rodney?" she asked again, wanting him to continue even though she looked too tired to continue this conversation for much longer. She'd only picked at her own meal, pushing most of the food around the plate so that it looked like she'd eaten more than she truly had.

It took a moment for Rodney to remember why she was saying his name. His thoughts had moved on from the question she'd asked him and even the conversation he'd just had was only a vague memory. "What? Oh, yes. Well, I just meant that I thought it was pointless to make such a big deal about Valentine's Day. I mean, seriously, red Jello? There's even pink and white coconut on the cupcakes in the shape of little hearts."

Ronon held up one of the cupcakes from his plate. "Is that what this is? I don't think I like coconut."

"It's an acquired tasted, I'll give you that." John swiped a finger across the chocolate frosting, being sure to take plenty of the decoration. When he put his finger into his mouth, smiling at the taste of the sugar he hadn't been eating lately in the hopes that some of the constant headaches could be eased, he was rewarded with the rest of the cupcake landing with a thud against the side of his neck and sliding down the front of his uniform. "I just had this thing cleaned."

"Guess you'll have to get it cleaned again." The little-boy grin on Ronon's face made the rest of the group smile back, even though none of them seemed like they wanted to be smiling at the moment. "Won't ya?"

"Fine. I'll eat my food and you eat yours." He left the streak of chocolate where it was, not as a badge of honor so much as not wanting to spread the stain. "I don't think they're choosing those certain deserts to torment you, Rodney."

Rodney mumbled something around the food in his mouth. When Teyla would have asked him to repeat himself when he was done chewing, Ronon held up his hand, another grin widening his mouth. "I've got this one. He said 'Pink food reminds me of Katie'."

"Pink?" Teyla asked, confused at why a color had anything to do with the botantist.

"Katie?" John asked, slightly irritated that the girl was coming back up into conversation after all this time.

When Rodney blushed, Ronon slugged his shoulder. "I can't believe I got that right. Guess I know your full-mouth language better than you thought I did."

He muttered something that was only meant for Ronon's ears before turning back to the group as a whole. "I just don't like Valentine's Day, okay? Who does?"

"I find the whole celebration rather interesting, actually. You say it is purely about these card companies yet people seem to enjoy it for many reasons. Most of the people I know prefer to use the holiday to show their friends how much they appreciate them. Does it have to be all about romantic relationships? Can you not appreciate it as a chance to spread some cheer to those who might need some?"

"You think that a card with hearts and flowers inked on it will make people cheerful? Or scraping a heart into the frosting of our desert is going to make any difference in our lives?"

John looked sympathetic while still looking bored. "Guess you didn't get many valentines when you were growing up?"

"Oh, and you did? Well, of course you did. You were the golden boy. The one with all the girls hanging out around his locker every day after school in hopes that they would be the lucky one who got flowers from you. You probably got one of every type of card, didn't you?"

"I'll get you a card if it'll make you feel any better." John finished off the cupcake but put the used wrapper on Ronon's plate. "Will it? I'll get you flowers if it'll stop this pity party from inflating any more than it already has."

"John-" Teyla warned but Rodney held up a hand to stop her.

"Who says I would want flowers and cards from you. Maybe I would rather get them from," he looked around the room before settling on the man next to him, "Ronon."

Ronon choked on his mouth of food. "What?" he asked when his throat was finally unblocked.

"Yes. Maybe I want to get flowers and chocolates from Ronon."

"What?" This time Ronon didn't stop talking when Teyla kicked his leg. "Why do you keep kicking me? Why do I have to get chocolates for Rodney all of a sudden? I thought you said-" but he let himself be shut up when John glared over at Teyla and she kicked out a little more forcefully, aiming at the spot on his knee that was starting to ache a little more often.

"Rodney," John cautioned, infusing a wealth of meaning into that one word.

The conversation had gone past the point where Rodney could be appeased. The colored coconut may have set him on edge but the topic of who might or might not be getting him anything for a holiday he obviously loathed was sending him right over the line of no return. Rodney wiped his mouth with his napkin (something he only did when making a point) and threw it on his plate before standing up.

"I have better things to be doing with my time than talking about this. There are programs to be completed that will save this city so many times over I'll need another computer program, that I will have to write, to be able to calculate them all." He turned and stalked from the room, his head held high.

"Is he coming back?" Ronon asked, eying the forgotten plate. Teyla shook her head slightly, her eyes narrowing until he settled back into his chair. "Guess we should go after him."

John rolled his eyes as he pushed back from the table. "No, I'll go get him. Probably should apologize for the crack about not getting any valentines. That was mean. The truth... but mean."

When he was gone, Teyla leaned over the table. "Do you have any more of those cupcakes?"

"Saved one just for you." When he handed it over, her fingers caressed his before taking it. "Is that enough to get me off the hook for a present or am I going to have to get you flowers and chocolate, too."

Her smile was wide, sparking a light in her gorgeous eyes that pushed out the tired look. "We should try to blend in with the other Lanteans. That means I should expect something to eat and something to look at from the man who comes around to my quarters three or more times a week."

"Who told you that?"

"Carson assures me it's this is the way it works on Earth. Who am I to argue?"

"I'll see what I can do. John'll probably be looking for a gift. Maybe I can tag along."

Teyla ate the rest of the cupcake before carefully folding up the paper, tucking it under her plate and lifting the whole tray up to put it on top of Ronon's. "Will I see you tonight?"

"Of course. If I'm going to bring you chocolate and flowers, I want to get the most out of this holiday."

She dropped a kiss on his cheek before heading out of the Mess Hall herself. Ronon stared after her but roused himself when a group of scientists came through the door, laughing about something that they were sure to be on the only ones who found funny. It was enough to break him out of the direction his thoughts were straying and get him out of his chair.

Before he dropped the trays off to be cleaned, he snagged the folded cupcake wrapper and slipped it into his pocket, a reminder that this conversation had ever happened and, with luck, would happen again. He knew to take the gift of words and actions where he could but sometimes he needed a reminder that he had a home here in Atlantis, surrounded by family and friends and happier than he had ever been before. With any luck, Rodney would see that, too. If he didn't, well, maybe Ronon would just have to drop by and remind him of everything he had.


End file.
